Make your own: Ugly Doll, Monster, Alien etc.

I have so many unfinished and half done projects around here it’s really not healthy. But I put a halt on all crafty and remodel projects to finish up my cleaning projects in the lower floor of my house. The part we live in the most and people see !  I had to make an exception today though.

My four year old has a blankey. His name is “Keys”. Short for blanKEY add an S. I have NO idea where the S came from.  He goes every where with us and as Rew’s best friend shares many adventures and  endures much abuse. He is 4 years old and LITERALLY falling apart. At the seams, not at the seams …EVERYWHERE !! I had to put yet another patch on him yesterday and so today Rew was extremely upset that “keys” needs to be safe but if he’s safe on the bed he can’t be with him. (we already leave “keys” at home when we go out now.)

Rew is also obsessed with these “Ugly Doll” things. I think they’re cute and the story of how they started is adorable and sweet BUT I don’t have 20- 50 dollars to spend on a stuffed piece of fabric. They are so simple it’s unreal what people are paying for them. Well I decided to try my hand at making Rew an Ugly Doll type monster. Now I brainstormed a step further. I need to rig a pocket of some sort, some where attatched to this monster to hold  “Keys”.   If you’re not getting all fancy like me with the pocket these things are E-A-S-Y !!

Here goes…

Step 1. You need to start with a piece of fabric of any kind twice the size you want your doll to be. You can use anything. An old tshirt, sweatshirt, a towel, a blanket. I bought an unbelievably soft micro plush blanket in Rew’s fave color orange !! This came out of the room redo budget. And I have plans for the left over blanket. (throw pillows anyone ??)  But the blanket was only $7 at Walmart. It was cheaper than fleece fabric (at $7.48 a yard) and softer.

Step 2.  Next you need a piece of paper big enough to accommodate the size of your doll. Start by sketching out the basic shape you want your monsters body to be. We are making a pattern here people so it needs to be actual size. Be sure and leave room at the edges for adding ears, horns, arms, legs etc.  Once you’ve decided exactly what shape you want all these to have add them to your pattern drawing. It should be all one piece. You'll see in a second…  It does NOT have to be perfect. that’s the appeal of these little guys. They’re wacky looking.  Mine has 2 big ears , one arm down and one up waving, and legs with feet toes pointing in per my 4 year olds requests. He also is not perfectly symmetrical and I made his face a little off center.

Step 3.Take your fabric fold it in half (or big enough to lay your pattern on. My blanket was so big I only had to make a small fold in one corner !)  Make sure you fold the side you want showing on the inside. You want the inside of your fabric on the outside right now so your seams are hidden nicely by turning it right side out later… Lay out your pattern and pin in place….  Like so…

                                      

Step 4. Now you just need to sew around the edges. If you have a sewing machine this is fairly quick… I do not so I stitched this  by hand and I went around twice. (it’s going to belong to a 4 year old boy. It MUST be sturdy) It took forever !!!! Don’t forget to leave an opening to turn it right side out and stuff it.

Step 5. Now CAREFULLY cut around the outside edge of your     seam (s)  to remove all excess fabric. Working with the micro plush was messy since once you cut it it starts to shed. UGGHH !!  you can also remove your pattern.

Step 6. We now turn the shape right side out and if your monster is very small you can use the eraser end of a pencil to push all the arms legs etc. all the way out. My monster is BIG !

                                                   

Step 7. You’re almost done ! Now you get to stuff it… If you’ve been at the crafting longer than me and have a better stock or just sew projects a lot ( I do NOT as evidenced by my lack of sewing machine) you may have fiber fill around. As you may have guessed I didn’t.  SO thrifty me GUTTED a giant (useless) Easter bunny. My children get several stuffed animals a piece every Easter from paternal grands. I find them a useless and annoying waste of space. (the stuffed animals I mean ) I have boys so after 2 days so do they. Needless to say this bunny donated to my cause nicely.

Step 8. After stuffing to desired firmness stitch up the gap you left open to stuff.

Step 9. Last one !  Now the fun part ! Give your guy or gal a face and add decorations ! I cut out white felt circles and stitched around the outer edge in black thread then  sewed a big black dot in the center for a pupil. My son favored the original Ugly Doll looking eye balls. Anything works here though buttons are a cool idea !! So are wiggly eyes ! You can stitch a mouth with embroidery floss but not having any I did this in black felt. I cut teeth from white felt and sewed it all together and then stitched it on. We also put a big green and orange button in his hand that says Friends Forever ! Rew is flirting with the idea of adding little tiny button “polka dots” all over. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a NO.

                                              

 

So now YOU’RE done…

I’m crazy I added a few extra steps in there on mine. 1. I sewed a pocket.   2. I did not leave a hole for turning and stuffing. I cut a slit in his back. I turned and stuffed and sewed one edge of the pocket to the slit and then the other side as well then punched the pocket in and made a pocket space inside the monsters stomach (but the stuffing cannot escape !)  3. Then I sewed on a flap to cover the entrance to the pocket and applied velcro dots to keep it closed.   4. Then I added buttons on top for decor. We put “Keys” inside his new safe hide out and left the tags hanging out the flap cause Rew likes to rub them as he falls asleep. He likes the silky feeling.       

1.  2.

3.4.

 

NOW I’m done too ! Like I said if your not adding the pocket this is one of the easiest sewing projects EVER !!!   Andrew loves his “Treako” ! And loves that “keys” is safe and staying clean. Washing him puts so much wear on him. 

Happy Ugly Doll , Monster, Alien etc. making !

Peace

Steph

 

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